In the Blink of an Eye
by TribalVipe
Summary: Everything can change in the blink of an eye. Barba and the SVU can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but their suspect has other plans.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is a 3-part darker type deal than what I've written for this fandom so far, but I'm loving the idea. Plus, I love putting my favorites into perilous situations and trust me...I've got some perilous things planned. Enjoy! :D

* * *

"Blanket hog."

Liv rolled her eyes and cuddled further down into her side of the bed, choosing to ignore the annoyed, sleepy voice next to her trying to steal some of the fabric away from her. It was cold in the apartment, even colder outside and she should have felt sympathy towards her freezing (his feet were like icicles) boyfriend but she didn't.

Survival of the fittest.

Plus, it was his punishment for not going to bed early the night before like she wanted him to; like he needed to. He was scheduled for court in four hours, she was the lead detective, and this case was so damn complicated it was making everyone's head spin. Not to mention the fact that the media was all over it from the get-go and everyone involved was under strict orders not to talk to any reporters.

They both had been dodging news crews for the past week and after today, it would be all over thankfully. She was confident her man could nail him because this guy was a real piece of shit who did some really fucked up things. No jury in the world was going to let him walk out of that courtroom a free man, no matter how Buchanan swings it.

Liv groaned as the fleece blanket she was wrapped up in was snatched away in a violent fury, forcing her to roll and face Rafael, who smiled in a sleepy victory before slamming his head back down into his pillow, intent on getting at least another hour of sleep. The Lieutenant contemplated making that extremely difficult for him but took mercy. She felt like taking advantage of the early hour anyway. Noah didn't wake up until 7 a.m. most mornings and a nice, long, hot shower was in order.

She needed to wash some stress away…and another strange feeling that cropped up before bed last night.

They were lounging on the couch, Rafael hunched over the coffee table making last minute notes to his closing statement when she felt it. A sudden jolt to her system and she felt suddenly nauseous, mind moving rapidly through a flurry of negative thoughts and scenarios that seemingly came from nowhere. She couldn't explain it, but something made her stop her mindless hair twirling and channel surfing so she could wrap her arms around the stressed out lawyer.

" _You ok?"_

 _Liv nodded, pressing her mouth to his neck and breathing in the scent of his shampoo and cologne mixed in with the faint smell of the scotch he had during their take-out dinner earlier. It was a smell that never failed to comfort her when she needed it, although it concerned her as to why she felt the need to commit it memory._

 _Something was nagging her in the pit of her stomach and all she wanted to do was touch him. She needed to be close to him._

" _I love you," she whispered, kissing his neck. She felt him stop his frantic writing and set his pen and pad down on the coffee table to circle his arms around her. He whispered the words back, running his fingers through her hair and reveling in the silence of their apartment._

" _You're going to win tomorrow," she after a few moments to themselves._

 _He glanced down at her and kissed her forehead, voice muffled against her skin, "How can you be so sure?"_

 _She pulled away from his neck and looked him square in the eye, positive she held his attention before she spoke, "Because you're an amazing lawyer."_

" _You're biased," he countered._

" _Only just a little."_

She leaned over a kissed his forehead before she slipped out of the bed and immediately grabbed for her robe and hurried to the bathroom, shivering as the cold air in the room hit her legs.

Not five minutes into her shower she heard the door creak open and Rafael's sleepy voice echo in the room, "You're taking a shower without me?"

"You only got three hours of sleep. Go lay back down," she demanded, reaching for her shampoo and prepared to wash her hair. She didn't even jump when the shower curtain was pulled back to reveal her half naked boyfriend, rubbing one eye while trying to remove the boxers he wore to bed with the other. She gave him a half-hearted glare but her body betrayed her thoughts, working against the fact that she wanted him now but also wanted him to get some much needed sleep.

Sex, though, almost always won out in the end.

"You worry too much," he waved off her concern and stepped into the shower, much more awake now as he reached for her body and lips licking and nipping at her neck while his hands traveled along her skin, shamelessly groping whatever was in his reach.

She let him, knowing there was no use in arguing with him about his terrible sleep habits and decided to enjoy this early morning treat, wanting to feel close to him and relieve some of both of the stress riding their shoulders before their day could fully begin.

* * *

An hour and a half later, Noah came shuffling out of his room looking for his granola bar and sippy cup and ended up cuddling with Rafael on couch, switching between watching his cartoons and watching the lawyer scribbling furiously on the legal pad he left out on the coffee table the night before.

"Can you even read your own writing," she asked as she came around the couch and handed him his first cup of coffee before curling up next to Noah and fixing his mused hair with her fingers.

"Hardly. It's all up here," he said and Liv had no doubt in her mind that he did. He had a habit of memorizing his closing arguments and practicing them in the mirror. It was key (or so he says) to have a firm, confident closing speech to reel in the jurors. He spent probably more time on them than the actual arguments and questions during the speech, but that came natural to him.

Needless to say, when verdicts came back not guilty, it really pulled a number on his confidence.

"I can't wait till this trial is over with today," she sighed and leaned back, grabbing for the remote as Noah's attention was lost on the TV in favor of his Legos and action figures. She flipped silently through the channels, stretching her legs out and resting her feet on Rafael's lap, until she reached the news.

The mugshot that greeted her made her cringe, not being able to look long at the man on screen. Blake Bernaky had a stare that just made your skin crawl. Or at least that's the only way she could describe it. From the moment she first cuffed him, to the interrogation and even during trial, she could feel his cold glare looking at everything on her but her face.

What's worse…he'd done the same thing to each of her detectives and Rafael, who'd expressed only to her that it made him feel incredibly unsettled and uncomfortable when he did that. Not to mention, he was a total people person. The man had knack for drawing people in and twisting their words, manipulating them into thinking and feeling emotions they weren't before. He was a master at it and he'd pulled those tactics on them and in the court room as much as possible.

He was dangerous, mentally and physically to both men and women.

She supposed that's what made Bernaky stand out. He didn't have a set type and he didn't have a specific gender. Never before had she encountered such a violent rapist that targeted both men and women of various different looks and ages. It was that that made him scarier than any other criminal they've faced down before.

Liv just flipped to a different channel, settling on some infomercial before putting together a quick breakfast. She practically had to drag Raf away from the couch to get him to eat, but he attributed his actually listening to Noah, who turned on the puppy dog eyes and asked nicely.

If anyone was wrapped around that little boy's finger, it was Rafael Barba.

Time flew by after breakfast and soon they were fully dressed and headed out the door, waving goodbye to the toddler and Lucy and promising to be back before bedtime. They decided to walk, having enough time to stop for another cup of coffee and take the scenic route. Liv laced their fingers as they got closer to the courthouse, trying to calm her boyfriend down before he stepped foot inside. From their view down the street, they could see the media already lined up along the steps, milling about and preparing their cameras and microphones.

"Does my hair look ok?"

"It looks fine, babe, stop worrying," she reassured him, shaking their entwined hands as she spotted Rollins, Carisi and Fin up ahead, keeping their distance from the circus going on in front of them. They were smart, making sure they weren't being recognized and accidentally falling into the line of sight by any reporter. She knew that not only her and Raf were ready for this thing to end, but so were her detectives. They worked tirelessly alongside them to bring this guy in and they all deserved a round of drinks. She planned on treating them as soon as court was done.

"I'm trying," he grumbled, readjusting the grip on his briefcase as they got closer. Rollins was the first to spot them and simply nodded at them by way of greeting. Fin and Carisi were deep in conversation, eyes on the crowd to monitor anything going on like they usually did when there were large gatherings in the area. Too many opportunities and not enough back-up.

"Bernaky and Buchanan should be pulling up any moment now. Charlie, Becca and Andy are already inside. We tried to tell them it might not be the best idea but they wanted to be here for Emily today. They're in your office, counselor. I didn't want them to see Bernaky if that's ok."

Liv and Rafael nodded but neither said anything as a black SUV pulled up along the sidewalk and was immediately ambushed by the reporters, cameras flashing and questions being yelled out from every which way. The crowd was so thick, they could only see the tops of Buchanan and Bernaky's heads, as they stopped to answer a few questions and pushed their way into the building.

They waited a good three minutes after the two men had disappeared into the building before Rafael decided he was ready to head in. Liv and Carisi brought up the front, making sure he was able to move through while Rollins and Fin brought up the back. Liv had to, more than once, get pushy, reminding the reporters to keep their distance and hands to themselves. It had been like this all week and probably was one of the more stressful reminders that the public was watching every move in this case.

That was scary considering there was 50/50 chance Bernaky could go free.

When they made it inside, Rafael wasted no time in going to the witness room, Carisi following as the ADA reminded him to stick to the facts while he was on the stand. Liv watched them go before she, Fin and Rollins decided to double check on their victims hanging out in the office upstairs.

* * *

"Counselor…I got it," Carisi said for what felt like the millionth time in the past ten minutes. Barba hadn't stopped pacing the length of the hallway outside of the witness room and thankfully, Emily was more calm than any of them, ready to testify and get things over with.

Carisi didn't blame her. This week was the busiest of his life thus far and he was eager to see Bernaky get the book thrown at him. Honestly, he couldn't believe the guy even made bail and was still roaming the streets, but that would change.

Barba was being way too hard on himself and he could understand why. Bernaky was showing himself to be quite the speaker and the volley of remarks he and the ADA were throwing at each other all week attested to that. Not often was a serial rapist able to throw Barba off his game and it happened more than once.

Hence the reason the man looked ready to snap. The sad part was that Carisi knew Liv tried everything in the book to get him to calm down and that probably didn't work either.

"Repeat what I told you," the shorter man demanded, crossing his arms and staring the detective straight in the eye. Carisi stifled his exasperated sigh and obediently repeated his directions, feeling like Barba was his teacher more than anything in that moment.

"Good. I'm going to grab a coffee and I'll be back to talk to Emily," Barba said, fidgeting with his tie as he began to walk away and stopped only a few steps from where he was before. Carisi furrowed his brow but looked just past the lawyer's head to see Blake Bernaky leaning against the wall by the elevator, a court bailiff standing next to him looking around uninterested.

The man was looking straight at the two of them, a smug smile on his face as he winked and turned to the bailiff, saying something as he went to walk away. Carisi actually squirmed, feeling an uncomfortable shiver roll up his spine and his mouth go dry. He wondered if Bernaky had that effect on everyone.

Barba turned on his heel and headed straight for the witness room door and muttered on his way past him, "Fuck the coffee."

Carisi didn't know what was worse: the fact that Bernaky's presence was strong enough to keep Barba away from his coffee or that Carisi had a feeling the rapist was making plans he intended to keep.

The detective sighed and followed Barba into the room, watching the minute hand on the clock inch closer and closer to 9 a.m. The sooner this was over, the better it would be for everyone.

* * *

When Blake Bernaky wanted something, he went for it and went for it until he got it.

He wanted those men and women, so he got those men and women, whether or not they wanted him back or not. That didn't matter to him. He liked submissive, willing people but he also thrived on the hunt. That made him a little sick in the head and he absolutely loved the hell out of it.

Unfortunately, that's what was going to sway those jurors' minds and he knew it. However, he had absolutely no intention of going to jail and had all the intention in the world of going after the man currently staring him down across the hall.

Bernaky couldn't help but be attracted to him. He was handsome and dressed sharper than a tac and his colleagues weren't half bad either. The sick ideas he had planned for him were what was driving him to go on this suicide mission. What was sicker was that he knew this was going to end in a barrage of bullets and death for him, but that wasn't going to deter him.

His chances were even better with the help of his little bailiff friend standing next to him. Blake Bernaky wasn't just crazy, he was excellent with computers and when he did his research and found out bailiff Murphy had some not so pleasant images on his home computer, blackmail was handed down and a plan was brought into fruition.

It was amazing his ability to manipulate people and he worked it in his favor every single day. He even had his lawyer wrapped around his finger, but that guy seemed like he would do anything for top dollar. Bernaky cleared his throat and winked at both the ADA and the detective standing behind him.

"Don't let me down, Murph," he whispered to the bailiff, who only glanced worriedly at him as he walked away. He leisurely strolled into the bathroom at the other end of the hall and locked himself up in a stall, pulling out a burner cell phone he was able to sneak past security in Buchanan's briefcase from his pocket.

He quickly sent a text, confirming his outside sources that the plan was still underway and smiled evilly as the reply came fast. Gang members. You had to love them. They were done for anything as long as the payment was nice and there were drugs involved.

Bernaky was lucky dear old daddy was a millionaire that didn't give a damn about him, living it up on his private island and leaving his only son to his penthouse apartment in the city. The life he was able to lead on his money that wasn't his was the cherry on top of his experience there in the city.

And it was only about to get better.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: No, your eyes don't deceive you! I've finally updated this fic! It's no longer three parts because I was sorely mistaken at the amount of crap I thought I could fit into three chapters. I know where I want to go with this, so hang in there with me! Enjoy!

* * *

 **1:05 p.m.**

His teeth are clenched so tightly beneath the duct tape; he thinks his gums might start to bleed.

Harsh breaths puff out from his flared nostrils as he struggles against the thick rope tying his hands to the bolted down prosecution table he'd been sitting at only an hour earlier.

At least, he thought it had been an hour. It could have been ten minutes for all he knew. Black dots were still dancing in his vision, forcing his rapidly blinking eyes to try and focus on something. Anything.

"Calm down, Mr. Barba…," a soft voice whispers against his ear as a heavy weight settles on the backs of his thighs, "I don't want you to hurt yourself."

He howls under the tape, the muffled noise mingling with the terrified screams and loud, booming voices just outside of the large double doors of the court room. In the farther distance, the sounds of police sirens blaring through the skyscraper laden streets sound so small in comparison to the gunshots that still rang in his ears.

He can still feel the cold metal pressed against his temple and the subsequent feeling of terror enveloping his entire body. The look in Liv's eyes and everyone else's as they realized what was going on still replayed in his mind's eye on a loop.

Who knows how long he's been on the floor, tied up like a prisoner, but it felt like ages.

"I'm not afraid of death, Mr. Barba."

He tries to yank his hands free again, but the rope cuts and chafes painfully against his wrists. His feet are bound as well, but he kicks them, trying to throw the body that shifted and rubbed against his backside in an uncomfortably familiar pattern of movement.

"I'm not afraid of lawyers or cops…or politicians or rapists like myself…"

Hands like snakes tug on his belt and the sickening feeling that sinks into his stomach isn't familiar yet it is. He's never been in this situation simply because his environment never allowed him to be. But, he's advocated for enough unfortunate souls to know that feeling of helplessness seep into every crevice of your body and soul. It was a feeling he experienced second hand that he was now experiencing first.

"…what I am afraid of…is missed opportunities…"

The familiar sting of behind his eyes glossed over his green orbs, blurring his vision with unshed tears, blocking out the scuffed, tiled floor and hardwood benches. Two things familiar to him; this was an environment he'd grown to feel comfortable in over the years. Every time he stepped foot into a room like this, he took command, feeling like he was right at home with a bunch of guests sitting in his living room and watching him talk.

"…missed chances with…such beautiful individuals…"

Hands slipped down to his hips and yanked him up despite the desperate movements to get away from this man on top of him. He felt the cold caress of smooth palms trail over his stomach as his dress and undershirt were pulled free form his slacks. Then, the rough pull of his belt buckle being undone, scraping against the floor and his skin as it was yanked out from underneath him.

"…you, Mr. Barba…you are an opportunity I don't plan on missing…"

He ceased his movements, the tears slipping down his cheeks as he pressed his hot face to the cold floor, taking comfort in the solid and familiar pattern of the tile as he felt his pants being undone and the weight of the body on top of him pressing harder down onto his back.

 **Two and a Half Hours Earlier – 10:30 a.m.**

 _Did he really want to do this?_

 _Was it worth potentially dying for?_

 _He had such a long life ahead of him. Only 20 years old and already he was throwing his life down the drain because of something fucked up and wrong he did just a few months ago. So wrong. So, so wrong and it was found out by that fucking freak in the court house just a few feet from where he stood._

 _Meeting Blake Bernaky was a cursed day. That house party he went to, promises of free booze and drugs…all he wanted was to get high. Had he known the host of the party was incredibly smart, with too much free time and loads of money, he would have stayed away. The ability to see the future would have come in handy, that was a given._

" _This is dumb," he whispered to himself, the sounds of the busy city around him drowned out his voice. Nothing he said was going to matter. He was too far deep into this web of deceit and lies and trickery. He was doing this to save his skin, and yet, he'd rather commit himself to prison, because that's where he truly belonged._

" _Get your shit," the rough voice behind him growled, grabbing onto the back of his shirt to swing him around. This big, burly man, whose hands had traveled down his leg on the way here, was despicable and not sorry for the acts he'd committed. Another woman, a drug addict, was bent over in the backseat of those broken-down car, snorting a white, powdery line against a dirty mirror. The pink haired man next to her going next._

 _They looked rag-tag, wearing dark, baggy clothes. They had masks and gang affiliated gear, guns shoved into the back of their pants and a large duffel bag of semi-automatic weapons they would use to open fire._

 _It was a long walk up the steps of the court house, moving in slow motion. Banded together, these four people brought under the same blackmail Blake Bernaky used against them. Four people who did terrible things, singled out by one psycho who could spot them in a crowd._

 _The stopped in the middle of the steps and turned, back facing towards the glass doors of the court house as the masked themselves. Burly man pulled a rifle from his bag and fired a booming warning shot out into the street, people on the sidewalks ducking and running and screaming for their lives._

 _It took only two minutes to walk the rest of the way up the court house steps, five seconds to kill the two officers guarding the outside of the building. It took a good ten minutes to shoot up the lobby, bullets and blood flying, the screaming intensified as bodies scattered and tried to run for cover._

 _Tears wet the black beanie over his face as they edged towards the elevator, the floor number engrained into their brains along with the plan as soon as they stepped foot on the tiled floor._

 _God help them all._

 **11:00 a.m. – Tow Hours Earlier**

The bang outside of the court house was dulled, but noticeable over Buchanan's booming voice, and the large lawyer faltered in his cross with Carisi. Liv glanced behind her shoulder, seeing a guard slip out of the door to, presumably, check out the source of the noisy interruption. Most likely a car crash with some idiot, out-of-town driver cruising down the busy streets without knowledge of the roads.

Liv couldn't be bothered to be concerned with it, too busy trying to focus in on the intense cross-examination Buchanan was beating her detective with. Too many times she saw Rafael's hand curl into a ball, fingernails biting into his palm. He had a bad habit of doing that. Once, he squeezed so hard, he punctured his skin and drew blood.

She hoped he wouldn't do that. There was so much riding on this case, including his sanity, and there was no telling what the jury was going to hand down…not with the way this morning had been going.

Back and forth, two steps forward on one side, the other bringing it three steps back. The volleys and objections were in the thirties and they'd already approached the bench at least twice. Never had she been in such a twisting, court room brawl, let alone see her man so affected. Usually, he had that air of confidence surrounding him; it was impenetrable, except for the few times it became personal and brought up feelings he didn't like to deal with, but this wasn't a form of Rafael she'd seen in trial before.

"That will be all, your honor."

Buchanan sent a cheerful smile at Rafael and Carisi slumped in his seat before he stood and walked back to the bench, refusing to look at the tense ADA for fear of retaliation. She patted him on the arm as he slipped past her and Amanda, taking his open seat next to Fin. Rafael dipped his head, shuffling papers around in front of him as he tried to recoup his thoughts and stutter out his next witness. Just one more before he questioned Bernaky himself.

Speaking of Bernaky…

Liv could see the young man smiling, like he had all morning in that unnerving, creepy expression. The way his lips parted and his impeccably straight, white teeth wormed its way under her skin, crawling along her veins and piercing her gut. There was true evil in that smile, she just knew it. She hope and prayed he would go away for a long, long time…

The silence in the court was disrupted again by more noise, but this time, it came in a series of rapid pops, and the muffled screams of people just a few floors below them. This caught her attention completely, as well as the entirety of the court room she sat in.

"Bailiff," Judge Barth nodded towards one of the burly men in the corner. One man she recognized, having been a decorated officer turned court bailiff, but the other…he seemed off to her as well. With practically a honorary degree in body language, this unknown bailiff's eyes flicked back and forth rapidly between Bernaky and the floor. He stood rigid as his partner passed him and walked out of the court room, radio to his mouth and asking for an update.

Judge Barth looked on concerned, reprimanding the court room for breaking out into harsh whispers as the screaming grew louder. Liv stood as Rafael turned to her, concern etched into the lines of his face. Carisi pushed past her on the bench, Fin hot on his heels.

The popping noises and the screams grew louder, until they were right underneath her feet, vibrating from the floor and up her legs. She stepped out of the bench after Fin and Carisi, Amanda following. As she past a few concerned onlookers, she reminded them to stay seated and quite, already working on pulling her side arm out of its holster.

"Liv," Rafael called and she glanced behind her, catching his green eyes immediately. His hands were curled into fists again, breathing heavily and brow furrowed. It was a look she was used to seeing from him; when the anxiety was too much and he was about to snap on someone. She'd seen it numerous times since they started dating, when she was put into dangerous situations or a suspect was being particularly nasty.

"It's fine," she said to him and then louder for everyone else, doing her best to keep the situation calm enough the no one would rise in a panic. The last thing anyone needed was to panic.

Just then, the blaring radio from the bailiff still standing still at his post erupted into a loud, static yell, pained voice and screaming for backup echoing in the small court room. Liv, with one arm holding open the door to the hallway, startled and swung around, honing in on the noise ricocheting of the walls of the room.

Screams, amplified and distorted, the constant popping noises just under her feet were gunshots. She could feel it in her body and so could Amanda, who stood just next to her. The radio continued to blare, the guard, who was standing stock still raised his hands and carefully shut it off, eyes distant.

"Let's go," Liv turned and took one step out of the door as a loud shot rang out, sending Carisi, who'd been just out in the hallway, feet from her, looking out the window, flying to the floor, blood splattering as he yelped. Liv's gasp caught in her throat, Amanda pushing her to her knees behind her. Fin raised his gun immediately from his position just in front of Liv, but quickly dismissed the notion of firing back. His eyes widened and he dropped his gun, his forefinger catching it as it swung loosely in the air.

Loud footsteps were drowned out by the sound of the terrified screams in the court room and all too soon, there was the barrel of a gun pointed in her face, pressed against her cheek. Liv looked up through her eyelashes, not daring to move even an inch. She breathed harshly, seeing a masked face yelling at her to get up and move.

Liv took a second to gather her bearings, seeing Fin being pushed to the ground by another large man in a mask, gun pointed at his head. Carisi lie just beyond, writhing and groaning in pain. She could only see his legs, but she could see the muscles tensing in them as he tried to gather himself.

Amanda grabbed onto her arms and helped her up, her fingers biting into the fabric of her blazer.

"Get the fuck on!"

Liv spun around, grabbing and holding onto Amanda as they turned to face the terrified court room viewers. Her eyes met Rafael's and her heart nearly stopped in her chest at the sight of yet another gun resting against his temple.

He stood still as the burly bailiff calmly exchanged a knowing, grim faced nod with Bernaky, who stood with the smug grin and came to a stop directly next to the bailiff. Rafael turned his head slightly, body stiff as a board, but his remained trained on Liv, just feet from him.

The barrel of the automatic weapon pressed harshly into her back and the women took a few staggering steps forward as a few more gun toting, masked figures poured into the court room doors, weapons held and at the ready.

Blood rushed in her ears, drowning out the sound, as her eyes darted around the room, the pleading stares of the civilians looking to her for guidance. She anchored herself to the feeling of Amanda's nails still digging into her arm, locking eyes once more with Rafael and Bernaky's fingers tracing along his cheek.


End file.
